Wednesday, 30 November 2011

If you are a Suqqu fan, do check out Yahoo Japan Beauty for pics of their spring 2012 makeup collection launching on 3 February in Japan. Unlike previous Blend Color Eyeshadow quads, the three new palettes incorporate a fifth "sheer line color" for adding greater definition to the eyes.

Chanel will release a Le Blanc collection of whitening skincare and makeup on 24 February in Japan. It includes a new Le Blanc Serum Blanchissant (15,750yen, 30ml), makeup primer with SPF30 PA+++ in 3 shades, liquid concealer in 2 shades and a loose powder. Designed for Asian women, the Fleur de Lotus color makeup collection includes an eyeshadow quad, a blush, two Rouge Coco lipsticks, two lipglosses, a beige eyeliner and an Illusion D'Ombre. All are permanent except for the quad, Illusion D'Ombre and eyeliner. These pics were tweeted by the editors of Maquia and More.See more pics on Kuri's Beauty Report and here.

Tuesday, 29 November 2011

Chanced across this lovely Tokyo Milk display at level B1 of Takashimaya. Created by Denver-based Margot Elena Wells, a self-taught illustrator who designed all of the vintage-inspired packaging, Tokyo Milk has a wonderfully varied range of fragrances, triple-milled soaps, lip balms and hand creams in whimsical fragrances like Gin & Rosewater, Kabuki, Song in D Minor and French Kiss. Wells is also the creator of Love & Toast.

Sunday, 27 November 2011

Kas recently surprised me with this amazing China Glaze Marry A Millionaire polish from the latest Eye Candy 3D collection. I was incredibly thrilled because unbeknownst to Kas, it was precisely the one shade in the collection that I'd been desiring after seeing the swatches on Scrangie. She found it at the flea market held at *Scape last weekend and scored an excellent deal on it as China Glaze nailpolishes were going at just S$20 for three bottles. Marry A Millionaire is a glittering tinsel-like melange of small light purple round glitter and thin bar glitter that reflects green and gold in a clear base. This unique combination is easily one of the most complex glitter polishes I've ever see. Two generous coats was enough to cover most of the nail with a mesh of glitter. Despite not using a top coat, it dried down very quickly to a budge-proof finish without any stray ends sticking up. Simply perfect for the festive season!

Over the past week, I've been testing out the new Maquillage Essence Rich White Liquid UV Foundation (S$76, 30ml). Designed to help repair the sun damage done over the summer months and to keep skin hydrated and supple during the dry fall/winter months, it is touted as comprising 80% beauty serum with a moisturising Pure White Essence E that includes extracts of saxifraga sarmentosa, zingiber aromaticus, plus sodium hyaluronate and glycerin. It also makes use of light-diffusing technology to help conceal pores and skin dullness for a radiant finish. The multi-faceted glass bottle design is reminiscent of the Rouge Enamel Glamour. There are seven shades available in Japan, and six in Singapore (which does not have BO20). It comes with its own pink and white sponge. The instructions on the box recommend using the white side to first apply the foundation starting from the cheeks, moving outwards towards the jawline. Next, use the remaining foundation on the sponge to apply on the forehead, the areas around the eyes, nose and mouth. (You can see a short demo on the Maquillage website.)I received the foundation in the lightest shade OC00 from Shiseido to try. In Japanese makeup lingo, "OC" stands for Ochre and has neutral tones, whereas BO (Beige Ochre) is more yellow-toned and PO (Pink Ochre) is more pink-toned. OC00 turned out to be a good match for my skintone, although I think I can probably also wear OC10. It has a more watery texture compared to Bourjois Flower Perfection and Lunasol Water Gel Foundation. Essence Rich White Liquid impressed me with its ease of application and how it seems to meld seamlessly into the skin for a very natural finish, even when I do not use a moisturiser or primer beforehand to prep the skin. I find the lightweight finish very similar to Lunasol Water Gel Foundation as Essence Rich makes my skin look smoother, more even-toned and healthier, without looking like a heavy layer of makeup. The sponge helps greatly in blending it into the skin. Essence Rich provides sheer to medium coverage, depending on how much one layers it, with a slightly more glowy finish than Bourjois Flower Perfection. I liked Essence Rich much better than Shiseido Perfect Refining Foundation which sets too quickly. Essence Rich is easier to apply and blend, including over areas with flakiness and enlarged pores. Essence Rich is supposed to be suitable for all skin types. Given the high serum content, I was expecting it to cause my skin to oil up quickly but surprisingly, it worked quite well with my oily skintype. I still had to blot every two to three hours, which is normal for me. The past week has been extremely hectic but thanks to the fail-safe combination of the Essence Rich White Liquid foundation and Lunasol's Shelly Ocean palette, I've been able to do my makeup in under 15 minutes. The only minor flaw I found is that one pump dispenses too much product for one application, even when applied with the sponge. The foundation is fragrance-free but it does contain silicones (dimethicone) and ethanol. The TV CM featuring singer Sheena Ringo.

With the launch of Cosme Decorte AQ MW's color makeup line to position AQ MW as a "global beauty brand", it looks like Magie Deco could go the way of Beaute de Kose as there appears to be no plans to launch any more new products for Magie Deco although the brand will still remain for now.

Friday, 25 November 2011

Cosme Decorte AQ MW will launch its color makeup range on 16 February in Japan, and subsequently also in other countries where Cosme Decorte is currently available. Like its skincare range, the product packaging is designed by Marcel Wanders and features a new butterfly motif. The products, which contain a "miracle sapphire pearl", include the following:

1. Lipstick (3675yen): 14 shades

2. Rouge Balm (2625yen): Collagen-infused rouge balm in 5 shades.

3. Mascara (3675yen): Film-type mascara in 2 shades.

4. Eyeshadow (5985yen): Eyeshadow quads in five variations. Each quad comprises eyeshadows in four different textures

Wednesday, 23 November 2011

A new collection of Sentimental Circus character goods arrived at Kinokuniya last week. Fortuitously, it coincided with Kinokuniya's members sale, so naturally I came home with a number of the cute stationery items. Roll-on correction tape.Sticker seals with a shimmery background. A mini-folder, useful for storing receipts. The memo pad, which includes a sheet of stickers and note paper in five designs. Stickers in three finishes. Stamp set with eight small stamps and a red stamp pad. The pièce de résistance is this big plush cushion that was a surprise birthday present from dear Mag a couple of weeks ago. Its fur is so incredibly soft and downy, especially on the white face. During Kinokuniya's sale, I got this for my younger cousin as an early Christmas present as she fell instantly in love with it and couldn't stop hugging it. You can see my earlier Sentimental Circus posts here and here. Aside from Kinokuniya, you can also find Sentimental Circus stationery at NBC in Raffles City.